Table



H. P. BALLIET TABLE Filed Feb. 25, 1932 3Sheets-Sheet 1 H. P. BALLIET Oct. 4, 1932.

TABLE Filed Feb. 25, 1932 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 f1 llorney H. P. 'BALLIET Oct. 4,- 1932.

TABLE I5 Sheets-Shet 3 Filed Feb. 25, 1932 Invenlor Ha /7 PBaZZz eZ A? I Q Mm Patented Get. 4, 1932 issues HARRY P. BALLIET, OF SLATEDALE, PENNSYLVANIA TABLE Application filed February 25, 1932. Strial No. 595,166.

This invention relates to tables, and in accordance with the present invention a table is provided especially adapted for use on railway passenger trains and boats.

The present invention consists in the provision of a table provided with means whereby the dishes or similar articles placed thereon will not be affected by the motion of the table caused by the swaying and pitching of the land or water vehicle.

The invention together with its numerous objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of the table.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a socketequipped plate.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a suspended plate.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of a weight equipped rod.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 7-7 of Figure 4:, and

Figure 8 is a bottom plan View of a disc forming part of the table top.

As shown in the drawings the table in cludes a top 5 and legs 6 the latter at their lower ends being suitably equipped as at 7 for fastening to a floor or the like. The upper end of the legs 6 are connected to: the corners of a frame 8 which supports the top 5.

The top 5 is provided with a plurality of predeterminedly arranged apertures 9, vary-V ing in size, and these apertures 9 are preferably arranged to correspond with the arrangement of the dinner dishes, that is the plate, cups, saucers, center dishes and the like as suggested in Figure 1.

Such dishes, in actual practice, rest on discs I 10 arranged within the apertures 9, and each disk 10 on the under side thereof, as shown clearly in Figure 8, is equipped with a semispherical or half-ball 11 provided at its fiat side with a flange 12 secured to the disk through the medium of screws or other fastening element 18. l I

Fixedly mounted within the frame 8 is a plate 1% provided with a suitable socket 15 for each half-ball or semi-spherical 11. Each 555 socket'lfi has a relatively large opening therethrough accommodating a rod section 16. Each rod. section 16 has one end thereof threadedly engaged with its associated half ball or semi-spherical 11', while the other end of the rod section 16 is threaded into one socketed end of a double socketed connecting member 17. A set screw 18 locks a rod-16 and its associated socket member 17 incoupled relation against casual relative rotation 05 shown in Figure 5.

' A rod section 19 has one end screwed into the remaining socket of each member 17 and is locked in coupled relation thereto through the medium of a set screw '20. Each rod 19 is provided with a ball 21. Rod sections 16. 19 and coupling members 17 serve as suspension means for a plate 22 that on its top side is equipped with sockets 23 receiving the balls 21. through the medium of clamping plates 24, bolts or similar fastening elements 25 serving to couple sockets 23 and plates 24 and to secure such assemblies to the plate 22.

Swinging movement'ofplate 22 is limited through the medium of an auxiliary frame 26 supported between the legs 6 immediately below the frame 8 as shown in Figure 2.

A rod 19 associated with the most centrally located disk 11, and corresponding to the 5 rods l9-has its ball 21 provided with an elongated shank or rod extension 27 that terminates below the plate 22. To the lowermost end of the rod 2?,there is suitably connected a weight 28:

Also, as shown in Figure 4, threealined double socketed members 17 are connected together bya pair of bars 28, which bars28 are secured to said socket 17 through the medium of bolt and nut means 29. Spacer blocks 80 are also provided between the plates or lbars 28 21613 acent corresponding ends of said ars.; l I As fully shown in Figure 5 each disk 11 is provided on its top facev with a concavity or Balls 21 are secured in the sockets 23 75- recess 31 suitably designed to receive a dish.

From the foregoin it will be apparent, that the table top 5 is free to swing as may be occasioned by the rocking and swaying of the train or the like, While the disks 11 will remain in substantial horizontal position, unaffected by said swaying, by reason of the fact that the disks 11 are free of any positive con nection with'the table top, and accordingly will be influenced by the Weight of the plate 22 and the pendulum or counterbalance weight 28, both of which as is well known will be unaffected by such swaying of the vehicle.

Even though I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention I am fully aware that certain changes, in actual practice may be resorted to and accordingly, claim all such forms of the invention to which I am entitled, intending to nowis'e limit the invention beyond the requirement of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is: I

1. A table comprising in combination a fixed plate, a plurality of disks, ball and socket means connecting said disks with said plate, a floating member beneath said plate, and suspension means connecting the ball of each of said ball and socket means with said floating member. I

2. A table comprising in combination a top provided with a plurality of apertures, a relatively fixed plate beneath said top, a disk in each of said apertures and provided on its underside with a ball, sockets on said plate receiving said balls, a floating plate and suspension means connecting it With said balls.

3. A table comprising in combination a top provided with a plurality of apertures, a relatively fixed plate beneath said top, sockets on said plate, a disk arranged in each of said apertures and provided on its upper face with a recess for accommodating a plate or the like, a half-ball secured to the under top provided with a plurality of apertures, a relatively fixed plate beneath said top, sockets on said plate, a disk arranged in each of sand apertures and provlded on its upper face with a recess for accommodating a plate or the like, a half-ball secured to the under side of said plate and engaging one of said sockets, a floating plate beneath the first named plate, and an adjustable suspension element rigidly connected at one end with a half-ball, and having a ball and socket connection at a relatively opposite end with said floating plate, and the suspension element connected with the ball of the most centrally located disk including a rod extension depending from said floating plate, and a weight on said rod extension.

5. A table comprising in combination a top having an aperture, a relatively fixed socket beneath said top concentric of said aperture, a disk arranged in said aperture, a half-ball secured to the under side of said disk and engaged with said socket, a rod extending vertically from said half ball, and weight means adjacent the lower end of said ro In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY P. BALLIET.

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